Mambila Couple

Cameroon – Nigeria, early 20th century Carved wood, beautiful patina of use. Height: 39cm. Presented as a pair, these two Mambila statues with their unique aesthetic are distinguished by their ovoid shapes, their disproportionate heads and their incised circular eyes. The figures, standing on short, massive legs, have bent arms folded over their chests, an attitude characteristic of Mambila statuary. The deliberately schematic and geometric aspect of the volumes, combined with the almost childlike expressiveness of the faces, gives the whole a striking power. These sculptures belong to the category of Tadep, figures associated with ancestor cults and protection rituals. Used by diviners and kept in granaries or sanctuaries, they embodied both lineage memory and the vital force guaranteeing community prosperity. The representation as a couple reinforces this symbolism of fertility, balance and transmission. Provenance: Kanaga Gallery (formerly Carrefour Gallery – Pierre Vérité) Hélène Leloup Collection, Paris. Michel Huguenin Collection. Exhibition: Couple and Janus, Kanaga Gallery. Bibliography: Couple and Janus, Kanaga Gallery, Paris, reproduced.